WATCH: Fianna Fail leader: 'We can't hang around on University Hospital Limerick

FIANNA Fail leader Micheal Martin has pledged immediate investment at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) if his party is returned to government.

With just days to go until the general election, Mr Martin joined party candidate, Cllr James Collins on the canvass this Monday afternoon in the Crescent Shopping Centre at Dooradoyle.

He later canvassed with Willie O'Dea in Limerick city centre.

Asked about health, and the problems UHL is facing, Mr Martin said: "We can't hang around. We have an urgent programme for health. We're not going to wait 10 years for Slaintecare to be implemented. We are saying in terms of people waiting for operations, the treatment purchase fund will do an extra €100,000 through doubling the fund to take public patients off the waiting list. We'll put five million extra home care packages in. Why? Because one of the big problems in emergency departmernts is that people can't leave hospital when they've finished their care."

He said this measure will dramatically relieve the pressure on the emergency department in Dooradoyle.

"We need to equip our emergency departments. Limerick has been looking for an MRI machine for quite some time. We're promising an urgent equipment replacement programme in year one to give the hospitals the vital machinery they need so they can diagnose faster and treat faster and also to hire professional nurses and medicare staff. We've got to get in there early to avoid the Christmas we've had this year. We can't have that again next year."

On the proposed M20 Limerick to Cork motorway - which has been described by Green party leader Eamon Ryan as uneconomical, Mr Martin said Fianna Fail is in full support of the link.

"We support the M20. It's vital as an economic corridor. Cork will benefit, Kerry will benefit and of course Limerick will benefit. We have many different policies. We have many common policies with the Greens. But there are certain rural projects that are projects that are important in their own right. We all know travelling through Buttevant and Charleville, and Adare is problematic, and I think we need to solve that," he added.

The Cork TD added he is confident with the correct vote management, Cllr Collins can secure a berth in the 33rd Dail.

"James has been a fantastic councillor, a fantastic mayor of our city and I think he's a voice for the future of Limerick. He's very developmental in his outlook,and an extremely hard worker. We have a strong team here. Obviously, we must manage the vote here. Willie will do well so our challenge is to make sure we get an even break on the votes to get two seats. It will be critical to Fianna Fail leading the next government. That's how important this constituency is to us and how important it is we get James elected," he concluded.

Limerick and the rest of the country will go to the polls this Saturday, February 8.